Taken as part of a parliamentary investigation into the living conditions of ‘Lascars and Chinese’ was begun in 1814 An account of the responses to fifteen Asian and Chinese seamen of the East India Company living in appalling conditions at Shadwell in the East End of London. , which produced a Report from a Committee on Lascars and Other Asiatic Seamen in 1816. As part of their investigation, a number of questions required answering; fifteen ‘queries’ were put forward by the committee, with one of their clerks dispatched to Shadwell to receive answers. Thirteen of the questions are answered here.
- Title: Queries, Lascars and Chinese : manuscript.
- Production: London, 1814
LWL Mss Vol. 275
Acquired August 2022
On the left, Charles Fox, dressed as an Oriental prince, lies on the ground having fallen off an elephant who has the face of Lord North; Fox’s dice and dice box are scattered on the pavement. In the speech bubble above his head: “Perdition, take thee for the chanse is thing.” To his right, William Pitt sits astride the elephant who stands at the entrance to the East India House, his face turned toward the viewer. Pitt offers in his left hand a “New India Bill” and holds three others under his arm and in his pocket: “Stamp […] act”, “Sup … lies”, and “Military Act …”. The building on the left has been extended to as far as Pitt’s back.
